Russia to focus war on eastern Ukraine – Russian army chief
The chief of the Russian army says Russia will now focus its main war effort on the “complete liberation” of the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region.
The defence ministry said Russia had been considering two options for its “special military operation” – one covering the whole of Ukraine and one focusing on the Donbas.
The comments – carried by Russian state news agencies – hinted at a possible downgrading of Russia’s war aims. Russian forces have met strong resistance in the north of Ukraine and around Kyiv.
Sergey Rudskoy, head of the main operational department of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, said 93% of Luhansk oblast and 54% of Donetsk oblast was under Russian control.
Russia had destroyed the vast majority of Ukraine’s air force and navy, and this marked the successful end of the first phase of the conflict, he added.
However, the defence ministry did not rule out storming Ukrainian cities that had been blockaded and said Russia would react immediately to any move to close airspace over Ukraine – something President Zelensky has repeatedly urged.
The ministry also said Russia would continue its invasion until targets set by Putin had been achieved, Ria news agency reported, without specifying what the targets were.
